Somalia Participates in Digital Government Africa 2025: Advancing Trust and Verification in Digital Identity

Lusaka, Zambia – October 9, 2025: The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) represented Somalia at the Digital Government Africa 2025 Conference, hosted by the Government of Zambia in Lusaka from 7–9 October 2025. The three-day continental forum brought together delegations from 26 African countries, alongside leading international technology companies, to explore innovations and policy frameworks shaping Africa’s digital transformation.

The Somali Government delegation was led by the Deputy Minister of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation, Hon. Abdihakim Hassan Ashkir, and included NIRA’s Director General, Mr. Abdiweli Ali Abdulle (Timacadde), who participated as a panelist in the session titled “Building Trust and Verification of Digital ID: Foundational Information, Interoperability & Regulatory.”

During the panel, DG Timacadde emphasized that trust is the invisible infrastructure of any digital identity system. He highlighted Somalia’s progress in implementing robust verification mechanisms, including the rollout of biometric and consent-based authentication through the Somalia National ID (SNID), and the integration of digital platforms such as Hubiye, e-Aqoonsi, and the Certificate Delivery System (CDS).

The Director General also underscored the importance of sound legislation, strong institutions, and consistent enforcement in fostering public trust. He noted that Somalia’s National Identification & Registration Act and Somali Data Protection Act have laid a solid foundation for a secure and inclusive digital identity ecosystem that prioritizes citizen consent, interoperability, and privacy.

The Digital Government Africa 2025 Conference reaffirmed the commitment of African nations to leverage technology for governance, inclusion, and sustainable development—an agenda in which Somalia, through NIRA, continues to play a growing role.